Elton John - Honky Chateau

Considerably lighter than Madman Across the Water, Honky Chateau is a rollicking collection of ballads, rockers, blues, country-rock, and soul songs. On paper, it reads like an eclectic mess, but it plays as the most focused and accomplished set of songs Elton John and Bernie Taupin ever wrote. The skittering boogie of "Honky Cat" and the light psychedelic pop of "Rocket Man" helped send Honky Chateau to the top of the charts, but what is truly impressive about the album is the depth of its material. From the surprisingly cynical and nasty "I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself" to the moving ballad "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters," John is at the top of his form, crafting immaculate pop songs with memorable melodies and powerful hooks. While Taupin's lyrics aren't much more comprehensible than before, John delivers them with skill and passion, making them feel more substantial than they are. But what makes Honky Chateau a classic is the songcraft, and the way John ties disparate strands of roots music into distinctive and idiosyncratic pop -- it's one of the finest collections of mainstream singer/songwriter pop of the early '70s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alain Hatot Saxophone Bernie Taupin Lyricist Chris Gavin Saxophone Dave Glover Bass Davey Johnstone Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Synthesizer, Vocals (Background), Mandolin David Hentschel Keyboards, Synthesizer Dee Murray Bass, Vocals (Background) Ed Caraeff Cover Photo Elton John Vocals (Background), Keyboards, Vocals, Composer, Organ, Piano (Electric), Piano Greg Penny Surround Mix, Producer Gus Dudgeon Whistle (Instrument), Brass Arrangement, Whistle (Human), Vocals, Vocals (Background), Producer Gus Skinas Editing Ivan Julian Trumpet Jacques Bolognesi Trombone Jean Louis Chautemps Saxophone Jean-Luc Ponty Violin, Violin (Electric) John Tobler Liner Notes Ken Scott Engineer Larry Steel Vocals (Background) Larry Steele Vocals (Background), Vocals Legs Larry Smith Mastering Engineer, Dance (Tap), ? Liza Strike Vocals, Vocals (Background) Madeline Bell Vocals, Vocals (Background) Nigel Olsson Conga, Tambourine, Drums, Vocals (Background) Ray Cooper Percussion, Conga Ricky Graham Digital Transfers Tony Cousins Remastering Tony Hazzard Vocals (Background), Vocals